Fleeing Moments

Genesis 7:21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:

That is a sad verse isn’t it?  Noah and his family and everything God told them to put on the ark were in safety from the flood, but every other living thing died.

Most of the time when we are reading about the flood we focus on the fact that Noah obeyed God, walked with God and was saved.  We think about the picture of Christ in relationship to the ark.  But what about those who heard Noah preaching beforehand?  They had every opportunity to take advantage of the same salvation that Noah and his family did.  What happened? 

Many of you have just come through your summer line up of revivals, campmeetings, jubilees, and mission trips.  You have been “pumped up” in the Word and encouraged to go into the world and live right and tell others about God.  The euphoria we feel spiritually from these times is heady and wonderful.  But will we take advantage of it and act or will we try and live in the emotion of the moment?

Emotions are as unstable as water.  They can be held in or poured out on a whim.  They offer no substance to rely on permanently.  As fast as a person can shout AMEN!, they can turn around and growl when having to wait their turn to leave the parking lot after the service.  We cry and hug at the altars but by lunch we are slicing and dicing the preacher instead of the food on our plate.  You know it’s true.  We are all guilty of letting our emotions control us instead of the One who created them.

I wonder if there were men listening to Noah who wanted to agree with him, but their wife was too busy running her mouth about Noah’s wife and children, so the man gave up?  I wonder if there were young adults as yet unmarried who were feeling what Noah was saying and doing was right, but their dads were coming home and running him into the ground?

Every living thing that was not on the ark, died. 

Jesus is coming back and He is coming back soon.  Every soul that has ever lived is going to wind up in one of two places.  Heaven or Hell.  You along with your grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, sister, brother, cousin, husband, wife, daughter and son are all going to face eternity somewhere.  Think on it.  See their faces.

Are you too busy fussing and fighting and blocking the Gospel for someone?  Yes, people sin.  Yes, people lie.  Yes, people steal (money and joy).  Yes, your life has not turned out the way you thought.  Yes, cancer stinks.  Yes, Alzheimer’s is a jerk.  Yes, the government makes you want to puke.  But is all of that really worth you holding back salvation from someone?  Even your ex?  Even your worst enemy?  Are you really going to be able to look Jesus in the face and have an excuse for standing in between Him and someone He loves and died for?

We must not miss the opportunity to take advantage of the little freedom we have left in order to spread the Gospel.  Take all those emotions you felt during the preaching and put them into action.  Grab a stack of tracts and TELL someone, ANYone about God.  We have such little time left here that we can’t let emotions be what we are banking on.  We need to stand up, speak up and tell the devil to shut up.  We need to support the Pastor in the pulpit, love the leadership and pray for our country.  We have little time to waste and we won’t regret it one of these days!  So take advantage of these ever changing times to be a light, a voice, and a witness.  Love, be kind, do right and spread the Word.  Take advantage of your moments for they are fleeing.

Until next time, Lord willing,

Sheri